Electrical socket



Jan. 7, 1964 ELECTRICAL SOCKET Filed Aug. 5, 1959 B. E. OLSSON ET AL5445 FL'Z O United States Patent 3,116,966 ELECTRMJAL UCKET Billy Erik@lsson, Chicago, and Paul A. Maximotl, West Chicago, llllL, assignors toMelee Manufacturing Company, Chicago, llll., a partnership Filed Aug. 3,1959, Ser. No. 331,146 6 tllaims. (Cl. 339-128) The present inventionrelates to electrical sockets and, more specifically, to electricalsockets adapted to be snapped into mounting position on a support.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improvedelectrical socket.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a new andimproved electrical socket of the snap-in type.

It is a further object of the present invention to pro- Vide a new andimproved electrical socket that directs automatically dispensed, contactterminals into predetermined positions within the body of the so ket.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide in a socket anew and improved opening structure for receiving and guiding a pluralityof contact terminals into selective positions relative to the socket.

it is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a new andimproved electrical socket embodying a resilient rib structure adaptedto facilitate mounting of the socket on a support or the like.

It is another object of the present invention to provide in a socket anew and improved rib structure which permits deformation of spaced apartribs along their entire lengths during insertion of the socket into anapertured support, yet maintains the socket in locked mounting positionafter insertion into the apertured support.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a new andimproved electrical socket that is adapted to be readily molded byaxially movable mold halves, thereby obviating the use of transverselymovable mold halves and cumming devices which limit the number ofsockets that can be produced in a given space.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a newand improved electrical socket wherein a generally transverselyextending structure adapted to coact with a support is molded by axiallymovable mold halves.

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a newand improved electrical socket embodying a new and improved body andforked-type contact terminals.

The above and other objects of the present invention re achieved byproviding a new and improved electrical socket adapted to be snappedinto mounting position on an apertured support, for example a metallicchassis or baseboard. The electrical socket comprises a body molded frominsulating material, for example plastic or the like, and a plurality ofcontact terminals made of electrically conductive metal, for examplecopper bronze and the like. The contact terminals are suitably supportedby the body to provide electrical connection between electrical leadsand the prongs of an electrical device inserted into the socket body.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the body isprovided with a plurality of openings for receiving, respectively, thecontact terminals which are adapted to be locked within the body of thesocket. The openings are so constructed that the contact terminals,which are randomly positioned above the socket body, are guided by theopenings into the body of the socket to assume preselected positionsrelative to one another.

In another aspect of the present invention, a new and improved ribstructure is embodied in the socket body to facilitate insertion of thesocket in the apertured supat Patented jam. 7, fi -3 port. In thisconnection, a plurality of axially extending slots are respectivelyspatially arranged relative to a plurality of ribs provided on the sideof the socket body so that, as the socket is inserted into the aperturedsupport, the ribs are permitted to be deformed inwardly into the slottedportions throughout their entire length. Thus, a socket embodying theimproved rib structure is more easily and quickly snapped into mountingposition on the support.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, the socket ismolded by the use of axially movable mold halves. Particularly, theaxially moving mold halves produce transversely extending lockingstructure that is used to retain the socket in the apertured support.Thus, the use of transversely movable mold halves and camming devicesthat produce relatively high manufacturing costs are entirely avoided.

Furthermore, the present invention envisions particularly constructedfork-type contact terminals and particularly configured openings in thesocket body for coacting with the terminals to fixedly secure them tothe socket body.

The invention, both as to its organization and method of operation,taken with further objects and advantages thereof, will best beunderstood by reference to the following description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an electrical socket embodying thefeatures of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the socket of FIG. 1;

PEG. 3 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the socket ot FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side elevational view of the socket of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 55 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawing and particularly to FIG. 1, an electricalsocket lltl embodying the features of the present invention isillustrated and is identified generally by reference numeral lid. Theelectrical socket, herein referred to as a tube socket, is of thesnap-in type and, thus, is ada ted to be snapped into an oversizedaperture provided in a support, for example an apertured metallicchassis or baseboard (shown only in FIG. 4). With the tube socket 1tfixedly secured to the metallic chassis, it is adapted to receive prongsor the like of an electrical device, for example a vacuum tube. The tubesocket, as described below, respectively interconnects the prongs of thevacuum tube to a plurality of electrical leads connected in anelectrical circuit.

Briefly, the tube socket ll comprises an insulating body 12 of generallysolid cylindrical configuration provided with a plurality of axiallyextending openings fit for respectively accommodating a plurality ofelectrically conductive contact terminals 14. The openings 30 areconfigured so that the contact terminals 14 are guided into the openingsSt? and furthermore are configured to accommodate a locking means 16embodied in the terminals 14. When the locking means 16 coacts with theopenings 30, the terminals 14 are fixedly secured to the socket body '12so that their legs depend downwardly from the body 12. The contactterminals M are of the forked, wire-wrap type and, as is well known,electrical leads, e. g., wire conductors, leads from electrical elementsand the like, are adapted to be Wrapped around and soldered to the legsof the contact terminals 14, thereby providing good electricalconnections between the electrical leads and the contact members 14 and,hence, the specific prongs associated with the vacuum tube when insertedin the socket lil.

Referring now specifically to the detailed construction of thefork-type, contact terminals 14, attention is directed to FIG. 5,wherein one of the contact terminals il is illustrated in elevation. Asshown, the terminal 14 comprises a flat blade of generally Yconstruction. The blade terminal 14 specifically includes a pair ofgenerally parallel arms 34 and 36 integrally connected to a leg 38 whichactually comprises an extension of the arm 36. The arms 34 and 36 definetherebetween a space for accommodating a prong 4d of a vacuum tube orthe like and are somewhat resilient in the sense that they are capableof limited relative movement toward and away from one another in theplane of the blade. Consequently, incident to insertion of the prong 4Q,illustrated in dotted lines of FIG. 5, between the arms 3 and 36, theprong 40 moves the arms 34 and 36 apart an enters the above-referred tospace. The arms 34 and 36, being deformed outwardly, are resilientlybiased toward one another to provide a good pressure contact between theprong it? and the contact terminal 14. To facilitate the passage of theprong 4%) into the space between the arms 34 and 36, the inner corners34a and 36a of the upper ends of the arms 3d and 36 are curved so as toguide the prong 4i) downwardly between the arms 34 and 36.

For the purpose of locking each of the contact terminals M to the socketbody 12 by simply positioning the terminal 14 in the opening 39;, alocking means is embodied in each contact member 14. Referring now toFIG. 5, the locking means 16 comprises a generally rectangular finger 41which is stamped out of the right side of the arm 36. The finger 41 isintegrally attached at its lower end to the arm 36 and is deformed, asit is stamped, upwardly and rearwardly so that the tip 41a of the finger41 is displaced rearwardly of the blade terminal 14- to coact withsuitable structure in the socket body 12, described hereinbelow.

Considering now the body 12 of the socket it in greater detail, it ismanufactured from suitable plastic or the like material by a suitablemolding process and, thus, is relatively rigid but at the same time isslightly resilient. As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4, thegenerally cylindrical socket body 12 includes an axially extending,centrally located bore 19 for receiving suitable shielding or the likedevices. The body 12, having a generally flat and parallel top andbottom, includes adjacent its top a generally annular lead 26 the lowersurface of which is adapted to engage the upper surface of a metallicchassis or baseboard 22 or the like (shown in FIG. 4), and also includesadjacent its bottom a shank 21 that is inserted into a slightlyoversized opening 23 of the metallic chassis 22. The shank 21 is ofsmaller diameter than the head 20 and has a length approximately twiceas long as the head 2t). As described in greater detail hereinbelow, theshank 21 is provided with a rib structure including a plurality ofaxially extending and spatially arranged ribs 26 formed in thecylindrical side of the shank 21. The ribs 26 terminate at their upperends in ledges 27 that coact with the under surface of the metallicchassis 22 and in cooperation with the head 29 lock the tube socket litto the chassis 2 2. Although not clearly shown in the drawing, theledges 27 are inclined downwardly several degrees to assure that theribs 26 and the head 20 snugly engage the metallic chassis 22, therebyto assure that a substantially tight fit is obtained between the socketiii and the chassis 22,

As best shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5, the plurality of spatially arrangedopenings 3% defined in the body 12 extend axially between the top andbottom of the socket body, i.e., extend through both the annular headit? and the shank 21. By this construction contact terminals 14', whichare individually or collectively dispensed into the openings 39 byautomatic machinery, pass downwardly under gravity into the openings 3tuntil the locking finger 41 engages the socket iii to arrest themovement of the terminals. Thereafter, a suitable insertion devicedrives the terminals 14- down-wardly into locking engagement with thesocket body 12, wherein the legs 38 extend downwardly from the tubesocket it In any event, the openings are located substantiallyequidistantly between the bore 19 and the cylindrical side of the shank21 and are equally spaced apart similarly to the prongs of a vacuum tubeso that the vacuum tube prongs register with the openings Sit in thisconnection, one opening is omitted as indicated at FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, toprovide an indexing or aligning means to assure proper orientation ofthe vacuum tube in the socket lil.

Considering now the construction of the openings 36 in greater detail,attention is specifically directed to FIGS. 2, 5, and 6. The openings3i? are each of identical construction and in the interest ofsimplifying the specification, only a single opening 3% will bedescribed. Briefly, each of the openings comprises a terminal retainingor lower portion 3th of generally rectangular cross section foraccommodating the arms 34 and as of a contact terminal 14 and, inaddition, a mouth portion 30b for guiding and directing a Contactterminal 14- downwardly into the retaining portion 3%. The retainingportion comprises a slightly oversized slot to permit the arms 34 and 36of the terminal 14m move easily downward into their mated position,wherein the lower end 42 of the arm 3 seats on a lip 44 which defines areduced neck slot 46 through which the leg 33 extends. The lip 4- isprovided with a flat, downwardly and rightwardly inclined surface 46 forguiding the leg 38 of the contact terminal 14 into the re duced neckslot it-l during assembly of the terminal 14 and the socket body 12.

As seen best in FIGS. 3 and 5, the retaining portion includes adjacentits lower end a chamber 5i) which extends downwardly to the bottom ofthe socket body 12. The chamber So is slot-like and actually comprisesan integral extension of the retaining portion Et a to accommodate therearwardly and upwardly displaced finger 41 of the terminal 14. Thechamber 59 is closed at its upper end by structure 52 provided in thesocket body 12 and is open at the bottom of the socket body 12 tofacilitate withdrawal of the mold half or the like. By thisconstruction, the tip ila of the finger 4L coacts with the struc ture 52to prevent upward movement of the contact terminal 14, while the lowerend 42 of the arm 34 coacts with the lip 44 to prevent the downwardmovement of the contact terminal 14. Thus, once the contact terminal 14is inserted into the opening 3%? into its mating position, it is lockedin situ in the socket body 12 simply and quickly and subsequentdisassembly of the contact terminal 14 and the socket body 12 iseffected only by the use of special tools.

The retaining portion 39a of the opening 3i) also includes a pair ofaxially extending keyways 54- and 56, best seen in FiGS. 5 and 6, foraccommodating the prong 40 of the vacuum tube or the like. The keyways54 and 56 are generally rectangular in section and extend downwardly toa point two-thirds the depth of the socket body 12. They are located inthe walls of the retaining portion 39a so as to lie between the arms 34and 36 of the contact member 14- and, in essence, widen the middle ofthe slot-like retaining portion Stla. Accordingly, the prong dii of avacuum tube or the like moves unobstructed into the widened or oversizedmiddle part of the receiving portion 3% and is engaged only by theresilient arms 34 and 36 of the contact member-not any part of thesocket body 12.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, 'the mouth 3% ofthe opening 3t) performs a dual function. First, it guides and directsthe contact terminal 14 into the retaining portion 3% of the opening Bilincident to disposition of the contact terminal 14 into the opening Si)by automatic machinery or the like and, secondly, guides the prongs 4dof the vacuum tubes or the like into engagement with the arms 34 and 36of the contact terminals 14 when fixedly held by the socket body 12. Theconfiguration of the mouth b of the opening 30 is clearly shown in FIGS.2, 5, and 6, and may be conveniently described as being tear-shapedbecause of its generally teardrop cross section shown best in FIG. 2. Asillustrated therein, the mouth 3% provides a transition from a generallycircular entrance of the opening 30, i.e., the part of the opening atthe top of the socket, to the slotlike retaining portion 30a. Inaddition, the mouth 39b and the retaining portion 39a join together toprovide an opening 39 having a continuous and uninterrupted surfacewithin the socket body 12. More particularly, the mouth 3% includes apair of generally conical surfaces and 62 which generally extend awayfrom one another to extend on opposite sides of the left end of theretaining portion Mia, as seen in FIG. 5, and a pair of generally fiatsurfaces 64% and 6d converging towards the right end of the lowerportion 3%. The generally conical surface 68 and the generally fiatsurface 64 are continuous and uninterrupted as is the generally conicalsurface 62 and generally flat surface 66. The surfaces 60, 64 andsurfaces s2, as respectively intercept the longitudinal walls of theretaining portion 38a and each define a V, the intersection between thesurfaces dtl, 64 and the adjacent wall of the retaining portion 30abeing identified by reference numeral 68 in FIG. 5.

As indicated above, the contact terminals 14 are positioned above anddispensed into the openings 30 by automatic machinery. The automaticmachinery is so oriented relative to the socket that the leg 38 of eachterminal I4 enters the tear-shaped mouth 3th]; (FIG. 5) near the centerof the mouth 3% and not adjacent the converging ends of the surfaces 64and 66, as might be expected in view of the ultimate position of the leg38. Thus, as the terminal 14 moves downwardly, initially by gravity andthereafter under the ejection force of the automatic machinery, thelower end 38a of the leg 33 engages either of the fiat surfaces 64 or 66at a point generally equidistant from their ends, whereupon the lowerend 33a is guided into the retaining slot-like portion 30a. The contactterminal 14- continues to move downwardly through the retaining opening3dr: and, since the end 38a is not adjacent the right end of theslot-like portion 30a, the lower end 33:: engages the inclined surface46 of the lip &4 and is directed into the reduced neck 48. In thisconnection, the lower end 33a is rounded to facilitate move ment of theleg 38 through the neck 48. The leg 58 continues its downward movementthrough the neck 48 until the lower end 42 of the arm 34 engages andseats on the lip M. It will be appreciated that the entire weight of thecontact terminal 14 is supported by the lip 44 and the terminal 14 ismaintained in position illustrated in FIG. 5 under the force of gravity.

Returning now to the movement of the contact terminal 1.4-, the springfinger 1 stamped out of the arm 36 is deflected into the plane of thecontact terminal 14 as the arms 34 and 36 enter and pass through theupper part of the slot-like portion 36a. Specifically, the finger 2-1engages the intersection 68 and then the structure 52 of the body and,when the contact terminal 14 moves into the position illustrated in FIG.5, the resilient finger 41 is free to move outwardly into the chamber 50to assume a position generally inclined to the terminal arm 36. Themovement of the finger all causes the tip 41a to move into a positionimmediately beneath the structure 52 of the socket body 12. Accordingly,as a result of the coaction of the tip 41a of the finger 41 and thestructure 52, upward movement of the contact terminal 14 is prevented,whereby the terminal 14 is fixedly held or locked in the opening Fill ofthe socket body 12.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the new andimproved rib structure embodied in the socket body 12 permits improvedsnap-in mounting of the socket 12 to the metallic chassis 22. In thisconnection, the plurality of axially extending ribs 26 are equallyspaced around and extend substantially the entire length of thecylindrical side 25 of the shank 21 of the socket body 12. Each of theribs 26 extends outwardly from the shank 21 and has a generally curvedsurface that is inclined downwardly so that the upper end of the rib 26is offset more from the side 25 than the lower end of the rib 26. Bythis construction, the ribs 26 define for the shank 21 a progressivelylarger effective diameter which at some vertical point is larger thanthe diameter of the opening 23. As shown best in FIGS. 4 and 5, theextreme upper end of the rib 26 terminates in the ledge 27 that extendslaterally to coact with the under surface of the metallic chassis 22.Since the tube socket body i2 is made from plastic material that isgenerally rigid yet resilient, the axially extending ribs 26 aredeformed inwardly incident to insertion of the tube socket 12 into theopening 23 in the chassis 22.

To permit the ribs 26 to be displaced as the socket 10 is snapped intoits mounting position on the chassis 22, slots '72 are defined radiallyinwardly of and immediately adjacent to the ribs 26. As best shown inFIG. 5, the slots 72 are rectangular in cross section and are definedthrough the length of the shank 21 of the socket body 12 so as to extendthe length of the ribs 26. Accordingly, as the socket body 12 isinserted into the opening 23 of the chassis 22 and the ribs 26 engagethe opening 23, the ribs 26 are deflected inwardly into the slots 72with the result that the effective diameter of the shank 21 is reducedto permit the socket 12 to easily pass into the opening 23. Once thehead 2% of the socket l2 abuts against the upper surface of the chassis22 and the ribs 26 clear the opening 23, the ribs 26 are resilientlyurged back into their deformed positions, with the result that theledges 27 move outwardly to coact with the lower surface of the chassis22 and lock the socket 12 to the chassis 22. It will thus be appreciatedthat a greatly improved resilient rib structure is provided by providinga slot throughout the entire length of the rib; moreover, theperformance of the rib structure of the present inven tion has proven tobe far superior to existing rib structures in which slots are providedonly adjacent portions of the ribs.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, thesocket body 12 and in particular the rib structure comprising the ribs26 and the slots 72, are manufactured by a molding process embodying apair of axially movable mold halves. In contrast to present dayelectrical sockets wherein transversely movable mold halves and cammingdevices are employed to produce ledges, similar to ledges 27, forengaging the metallic chassis 22, the socket body 12 is manufacturedwith axially movable mold halves which facilitate the manufacture of thesocket bodies and decrease their production costs. More specifically,the lower mold half is provided with upwardly extending parts (notshown) which produce the slots 72 located adjacent to the ribs 26 whilethe upper mold half includes downwardly extending parts which produce aplurality of the slots 74 extending above the ledges 27, a part of eachslot 74 being of the same cross section as the ledges 27. In fact, asbest shown in FIGS. 4- and 5, the parts of the mold halves producing theslots 72 and 74 cooperate to define the laterally extending ledges 27and, furthermore, coact to define in the side wall 25 of the socketshank 21 a plurality of openings 76 that communicate with the slots 74and 72. The openings 76 are located immediately above the ribs 26 andreceive portions of the apertured metallic chassis 22.

It has been observed that in existing sockets, the ledges on top of theribs are produced by using transversely moving mold halves which requirecamming devices for effecting the separation of the mold halves.Accordingly, only a limited number of rows of the molds can be locatedin a given area, since the carnming devices occupy a certain amount ofspace adjacent each row of molds. However, by using axially movable moldhalves that include parts to define the ledges 27, the camming devicesare entirely eliminated, with the result that a greater number of rowsof molds can be located within the same area. Hence, a greater number ofsockets can be produced by the same molding press during a singlemolding operation, whereby a greater number of sockets can be producedin a given time to substantially reduce the production costs of theelectrical sockets.

While the embodiment described herein is at present considered to bepreferred, it is understood that various modifications and improvementsmay be made therein, and it is intended to cover in the appended claimsall such modifications and improvements as fall within the true spiritand scope of the invention.

What is desired to be claimed and secured by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

1. An electrical socket of the snap-in type comprising a body having aplurality of axially extending rib means spatially arranged about itsside, each of said rib means having a cut-away portion for accommodatingin cooperation with the head of the socket a support and further havingan inclined, generally curved outwardly facing portion for coacting withan aperture structure in said support, said body further having aplurality of slots respectively located entirely within said bodyradially inwardly of and spaced from said rib means to permit inwardmovement of said rib means incident to insertion of the socket into theaperture in said support.

2. An electrical socket of the snap-in type comprising a body having anenlarged head portion for coacting with one surface of a support meansand a lower shank of reduced diameter, said lower portion including aplurality of spatially arranged rib means defining at its upper endstransversely extending ledge means for coacting with the oppositesurface of the support means and further including a plurality of slotsdisposed within the lower portion and spaced from and extending thelength of said rib means, said head portion including openings locatedvertically above said ledge means and extending through said headportion.

3. An electrical socket of the type adapted to be snap mounted to anapertured support comprising a body, a plurality of axially extendingrib means in said body for 8 slidably coacting with the aperturedportion of said support, said rib means having at one end ledge means,and a plurality of slots extending axially throughout the entire body,said axially extending slots being exposed within said body andcooperatively spaced inwardly from said rib means to permit movement ofsaid rib means during passage of said rib means through said aperturedsupport.

4. An electrical socket of the snap-in type comprising a body, aplurality of slots extending axially entirely through and within saidbody, a plurality of axially extending rib means provided in said bodyand disposed radially outwardly of and slightly spaced from said slots,said slots having lengths at least as great as the length of the ribmeans, said rib means adapted to be slidably engaged by an aperturedportion of said support and to be temporarily radially inwardly deformedtoward said slots as the rib means pass through the apertured support.

5. The socket of claim 3 wherein the body includes a plurality ofradially extending openings adjacent the ledge means of said axiallyextending rib means, respectively, for accommodating the peripheralsurface of the apertured structure of said support.

6. The socket of claim 3 wherein the lower ends of said rib means slopetoward and terminate adjacent the lower surface of said socket, wherebythe rib means are enabled to be easily deformed inwardly incident toinsertion of said socket into said apertured support.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,332,483 Doty Oct. 19, 1943 2,587,327 lesnig Feb. 26, 1952 2,694,798Cole Nov. 16, 1954 2,704,356 Herterick Mar. 15, 1955 2,706,281 SchnurrApr. 12, 1955 2,809,361 Woofter et al Oct. 8, 1957 2,855,579 WintrissOct. 7, 1958 2,885,649 Long May 5, 1959 2,891,103 Swengel June 16, 19592,903,670 Sitz Sept. 8, 1959 2,912,712 Shamban et a1 Nov. 17, 19592,931,006 Klumpp Mar. 29, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 164,875 Sweden Sept. 20,1958 567,798 Great Britain Mar. 5, 1945

3. AN ELECTRICAL SOCKET OF THE TYPE ADAPTED TO BE SNAP MOUNTED TO ANAPERTURED SUPPORT COMPRISING A BODY, A PLURALITY OF AXIALLY EXTENDINGRIB MEANS IN SAID BODY FOR SLIDABLY COACTING WITH THE APERTURED PORTIONOF SAID SUPPORT, SAID RIB MEANS HAVING AT ONE END LEDGE MEANS, AND APLURALITY OF SLOTS EXTENDING AXIALLY THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE BODY, SAIDAXIALLY EXTENDING SLOTS BEING EXPOSED WITHIN SAID BODY AND COOPERATIVELYSPACED INWARDLY FROM SAID RIB MEANS TO PERMIT MOVEMENT OF SAID RIB MEANSDURING PASSAGE OF SAID RIB MEANS THROUGH SAID APERTURED SUPPORT.